After the battle with the Rat King, they walked slowly back to the Adventurer Guild. There, they saw many adventurers in bad condition. Some were bleeding and already bandaged, some had lost limbs because of infection, and some were presumed dead.
They met the Guild President of Rostam, Kilgaros. He was a muscular man with bandages wrapped around both his hands, clearly a fighter by appearance.
"I found this in the underground den of the Rat King," Arman said, handing some documents to Kilgaros.
"Hmmm… it seems this was no normal incident. Someone was experimenting and turned a normal monster into such a monstrous being. On behalf of the Adventurer Guild, thank you for helping us. This monster was tough because a large swarm appeared suddenly," Kilgaros explained.
"When I helped in the town, I saw a few Rank B adventurers struggling. This means the monster was kind of Rank B because of the numbers, not strength-wise. Strength-wise maybe E or D. What's concerning is that they can multiply without being detected," Kael explained.
"Hmmm… yes. Also because of this, you—Arman, Altair—and who are you?" Kilgaros asked.
"Ah… I'm just a healer helping these two morons. I had an adventurer identity a few years ago, but I was still Rank F. My name is Eleos Anaidea," Eleos explained.
"Ohh, hahaha… I forgot who you were," Kilgaros said awkwardly, feeling embarrassed.
"Anyway, you guys are upgraded to Rank D. I'm hoping for great things from you. And I have bad news, Eleos… your clinic seems to have collapsed. Maybe some of the swarm attacked your clinic while you were helping others," Kilgaros said.
"NOOOOO!!!" Eleos screamed in frustration.
"What should I do now? I don't have enough money to rebuild…"
Arman and Altair patted Eleos on the back.
"Don't worry. We'll save up and rebuild your clinic later. For now, you can take quests and adventure with us," Altair said.
That evening, everyone rested in the spare rooms that the Guild had.
Arman thought a lot about his combat style. It seemed he needed to improve his spell arsenal and learn stronger spells.
"I think I need to meditate and then try to learn Earth and Water spells first," Arman muttered.
He proceeded to meditate, circulating his mana and gathering it into his core from the surroundings, while cycling mana through his mana paths to enhance his body and core. After several attempts, his body was full of sweat. He stopped and remembered the books he had read in the library.
He attempted to create the formula for Earth Spear and basic earth shaping, then proceeded to form the formula for a Water Droplet spell and Water Shield.
Morning came quickly. Arman, Altair, and Eleos were called by the Guild President.
"You guys, here's your reward. Each of you gets 10 gold. I know it's not much, but please understand we need to support the people in town and the adventurers who may retire because of this incident," Kilgaros explained.
"Thank you, Guild President," Arman, Altair, and Eleos said together.
They then went to the inn for breakfast.
"Thank you for protecting us citizens. Because of you, my daughter and wife are safe. And our inn is still standing," the innkeeper said.
"No worries, sir. We already received our compensation," Arman replied.
"Please, at least let me treat you to breakfast. Sit down first. I'll be back with food and drinks."
The innkeeper rushed to the kitchen, while Arman, Altair, and Eleos were dumbfounded and couldn't refuse his kindness. They sat down at a table in the corner.
"You were really dumb trying to push a monster that heavy," Altair said, pointing at Arman.
"Well, in my defense, I wanted to stagger him. Maybe make him slip so you guys could attack without getting hit," Arman explained.
"But you need to use common sense… and because I helped you guys, my clinic is gone…" Eleos said, side-eyeing both of them.
"But in the first place, your clinic was already run-down and could collapse anytime, you know," Altair said.
"OH YEAH?!" Eleos exclaimed.
"Calm downnnn… It just needed better maintenance. Or is it because you didn't have many patients?" Arman asked.
"Actually, yeah… not many people came to my clinic. There are already apothecaries and the Church can provide healing," Eleos said, looking down.
"Why didn't you join the Church?" Arman asked.
"Well, in the first place, I'm not a pure cleric, so they rejected my application. And I don't believe in their god. Their requirement was that I had to believe in their god," Eleos explained.
As they were talking, the aroma of freshly baked bread, honey, and meat, along with the fizz of beer, caught their attention.
"Here's food and drink for the young heroes!" the innkeeper said with a big smile, then hurried back to the bar.
"Well, the food looks delicious and the smell is making my appetite rise. Let's eat, guys!" Arman said.
They ate heartily and finished quickly.
"Phew, that was satisfying. So tell me your story, Eleos. How were your five years here?" Altair asked.
"I arrived in this world and had to figure everything out alone. No teacher. I just knew how to use my skills because some knowledge was ingrained in me when I woke up. In my first year, I struggled and did odd jobs in Pine Village. Not sure if you went there too," Eleos said.
"Uh… actually, I also went to that village after waking up in the forest," Arman said.
"Me too. I met my teacher there. He helped develop my skills," Altair added.
"Oh… then we're kind of the same. After I saved enough money, I moved to town. I tried to join the Church. I even did chores for them for six months, then got thrown out after they discovered I wasn't a normal cleric. After that, I went to the Adventurer Guild and did Rank F work like gathering herbs, mushrooms, cleaning sewers, or helping elderly people deliver packages. I didn't rank up because I never took extermination quests. After saving enough money and helping here and there, someone gave me a run-down building that I cherished. I turned it into my clinic. I spent almost four years there… It wasn't much, but the people I helped allowed me to survive. I also became more understanding of my skills through that. How about your story, Altair?" Eleos asked.
"Well, I had someone help me at the start. He was an old retired assassin. He taught me many things, gave me a place to stay, and trained me daily. He taught me about the assassin occupation, how to track and hunt monsters and animals, and how to survive in the forest. He also once met someone like us long ago. He said he was easily beaten by that person, but I think it was because of level difference. Before he passed away, he gave me his inheritance—his life's work in shadow element techniques. He hoped I could surpass him. I was planning to return to town at the end of this year," Altair said.
After breakfast, they parted ways for the day. Arman headed straight to the Mage Association, deciding it was time to seriously refine his magic. He paid 10 silver coins per hour to rent a private training chamber, a reinforced stone room lined with layered stone plates and protective runes to absorb heavy impact. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and stood in the center of the chamber, taking a slow breath to steady his mana flow. He began with Earth Spike, pressing his palm toward the floor and forcing compressed earth upward. The first attempt cracked unevenly, the spike crooked and unstable. He adjusted his mana layering—less force, more structure—and tried again. This time, a clean, sharpened pillar of stone erupted from the ground with controlled precision. He followed with Earth Forming, spreading his mana outward across the floor, shaping the terrain into low ridges and defensive walls. The room trembled slightly as stone bent to his will, though he could feel the strain in maintaining smooth control over a heavier element.
After stabilizing his earth manipulation, he shifted to water. He gathered moisture from the chamber's air and condensed it into small, dense spheres—Water Droplets. The first shot splashed weakly against the far wall. He compressed the mana tighter, increasing internal pressure. The next droplet struck with a sharp crack, leaving a small dent in the reinforced stone. He repeated the process several times, refining speed and accuracy, before moving on to Water Barrier. Instead of rigid force, he allowed the mana to flow like liquid around him, forming a translucent shield that rippled upon impact. He launched a small stone fragment with Earth Spike and watched the barrier absorb and disperse the force rather than shatter. Sweat formed along his temples, but his control felt steadier than before.
Finally, he turned to his old spell—Fire Sphere. Instead of relying on brute ignition, he focused on the surrounding air, drawing in oxygen and compressing it tightly into the mana construct before release. The first attempt flared violently and fizzled out. He recalculated the ratio—mana density to oxygen concentration—then tried again. This time, the sphere ignited with a sharp hiss. The flames shifted from orange to a vivid blue, burning hotter and more intensely than ever before. When he released it toward the far wall, the explosion was tighter, more concentrated, and left a scorched crater in the reinforced stone. Heat distortion lingered in the air long after the flames faded. Arman stared at the result, breathing heavily, realizing that his fire magic had evolved into something far more lethal than before.
Meanwhile, Altair made his way to the blacksmith district of Rostam. The sound of hammer striking steel echoed through the street long before he reached the forge. Sparks flew from the open doorway, and heat radiated outward in heavy waves. Inside, racks of weapons lined the walls—daggers, short swords, longswords, axes—each carefully polished and arranged. Altair walked slowly between them, lifting a dagger to test its balance, then returning it without comment. He picked up a short sword, swung it once in the air to measure its weight distribution, and set it back in place. One after another, he examined the blades, but none held his interest.
From behind a massive anvil, a broad-shouldered dwarf with a thick braided beard and soot-covered arms watched him closely. His sharp eyes narrowed as Altair continued browsing without speaking. Finally, the dwarf slammed his hammer down and barked, "If you're not buying anything, then get out of my forge!" His voice was rough and impatient. Altair turned calmly. "Your weapons aren't strong enough," he replied evenly. The dwarf snorted angrily. "Not strong enough? My steel has broken ogre bones!" Without another word, shadows gathered around Altair's arm, forming a blade of pure darkness through [Weapon Form]. In one swift motion, he struck a sword resting on the workbench. The forged steel shattered cleanly at the point of impact. The forge fell silent, the only sound the broken fragments of metal clattering onto the stone floor.
The dwarf's anger shifted into sharp interest. He stepped forward, examining the cleanly split blade. "That's no ordinary steel breaker…" he muttered. Altair let the shadow blade dissipate. "I need something that can withstand and amplify my shadow element. Regular steel won't do." The dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "So you want a weapon that doesn't just endure your power… but resonates with it." His eyes gleamed with challenge. "Fine. Give me time—and enough gold. I'll forge you a magic blade. Dwarven-tempered steel infused with a shadow core. A weapon that won't break… and will enhance the strength of your darkness."
Meanwhile, Eleonoa returned to what remained of her clinic. The once modest building now stood partially collapsed, its roof caved in and wooden beams splintered across the ground. She stepped carefully through the debris, gathering whatever could still be salvaged—medical tools, intact jars of herbs, and a few preserved scrolls of notes she had written over the years. Dust clung to her clothes as she worked in silence. After a while, she stopped and looked around at the ruin. Four years. Four years of treating villagers, of quiet conversations with the sick and elderly, of building something small but meaningful. She sighed deeply. She did not have enough money to hire carpenters or builders to reconstruct it. If she wanted a new clinic, she would have to save up—and this time, build something stronger and better.
Before leaving the district, Eleonoa visited the elderly patients who had regularly come to her clinic. Some homes were intact, others damaged. She knocked gently on doors she knew by heart. In some places, she was met with silence. In others, grieving family members informed her that the attack had taken them. A few had survived, though barely, and she treated minor injuries where she could. For those who had fallen, she helped with the burial rites. Standing quietly at the graves, she pressed her hands together and whispered a promise—to grow stronger, to be more prepared, and to never again allow herself to be powerless in protecting those who relied on her.
With what little coin she still possessed, she went to the general store and purchased several durable leather bags to carry herbs and supplies. If she would be moving often from now on, she needed to travel prepared. She organized dried plants, preserved roots, and basic medical tools into compact bundles. Then, with no clinic left to return to, she made her way to the inn where Arman and Altair were staying. She rented a modest room, preparing herself for the coming days of adventuring. The clinic was gone—but Eleonoa was not finished.
That evening, the three of them gathered for dinner at the inn. The atmosphere was quiet—no jokes, no arguments, only the soft clatter of cutlery and the occasional murmur from other patrons. They were exhausted, both physically and mentally, and the weight of the past days lingered between them. After finishing their meals, they exchanged brief nods and returned to their separate rooms without much conversation. There was an unspoken understanding—they needed rest.
Inside their rooms, each of them quietly checked their status. Arman blinked in disbelief. His level had jumped from Level 2 to Level 6. Eleos, equally surprised, saw her own rise from Level 5 to Level 7. Even Altair, who rarely showed emotion, paused slightly when he noticed his level increase from 10 to 11. The battle against the Rat King—and the swarm—had rewarded them far more than they expected.
≡ Status ≡
Arman — Human — Level 6
Occupation: Mage
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HP: 148 / 148
Mana: 96 / 96
Stamina: 128 / 128
Mana Control: 21%
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Skills
• Mana Perception Lv. 1
Spells
• Minor Fire Sphere (Modified – Oxygen Compression)
• Flame Bolt
• Mana Push
• Mage's Hand
• Earth Spike
• Earth Forming
• Water Droplets
• Water Barrier
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≡ Status ≡
Altair Everett — Human — Level 11
Occupation: Assassin
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HP: 176 / 176
Mana: 92 / 92
Stamina: 162 / 162
Mana Control: 31%
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Skills
• Shadow Cloak
• Enhanced Perception
• Agility Boost
• Weapon Form (Shadow)
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≡ Status ≡
Eleos Anaidea — Human — Level 7
Occupation: Gravebound Cleric
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HP: 156 / 156
Mana: 198 / 198
Stamina: 92 / 92
Mana Control: 43%
Divinity Affinity: Death
Spiritual Resonance: High
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Abilities
• Cure Wounds – Channel restorative life force
• Inflict Wounds – Condensed necrotic discharge
• Bestow Curse – Targeted vitality suppression
• Wither and Bloom – Dual-phase decay & regeneration field
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